Display block for mounting artificial teeth



July 5 19.27.

J. A. SANDERS DISPLAY BLOCK FOR MOUNTING ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed Sept. 2,1922

FIG-.2

In venfar.

' i/asep/l f7. Sanders.

1 FIG. 6

Patented July 5, 1927.

neursn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. SANDERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEN TISTS SUPPLY COMPANY, A CURPORATION OF NEW YORK. f

DISPLAY BLOCK FOR MOUIT TING ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

Application filed September 2, 1922. Serial No. 585,842.

The object of my invention is, to provide an improved construction of display block for mounting artificial teeth in sets, the block being of such construction that the pins of the teeth may be embedded in the material of which it is made to hold them in place. My object is further to provide a structure comprising a rigid frame carrying a wax or wax-like material to which the teeth are det-achably secured, said wax or waxlike material containing upon its face the mold number designating the mold from which the teeth were made, and a shade for holding the teeth and receiving the.

printed or impressed mold and shade designations. r

With the above and other ob ects in- VIEW,

the nature of which will be more fully' understood from the description hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel construe tion of display block for mounting artificial teeth, as hereinafter more fully described and defined in the claims. r

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is. a plan view of my improved display block having artificial teeth in position thereon,- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of my improved block taken on] dotted lines2-2"of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe metal backing and also the wax or wax-like block ready to be insertedinto the backing plate; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; andxFigs. 5 and 6 are sectional views corresponding to part of Fig. at, but showing modified means for holding the wax block in place. 7

3 is an elongated trough-like metalbacking structure, preferably'of aluminum, and acting as a reinforcing means for the wax L number to designate the coloring or shade body block 5 to which the artificial teethf 8 and 9 are attached. The trough-like metal structure 3 is provided with upright sides 6, 6, which are preferably of the same height I as, the thickness of the wax block 5, so that in thecompleted structure the level of the wax is flushwith the edges of the sides 6 of the backing structure 3. I, however, do not restrict myself to this detail. WVhen I use the term wax, as applied to the block 5, I use it in a generic sense as including any material which has a. wax or wax-like consistency into which the tooth .pins maybe embedded and by which the artificial teeth may be temporarily attached inplace. I prefer to make the two parts 3 and 5 separately and then assemble them, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4,'tlie former showing the parts separated and the latter indicating the relation when the wax block 5 is pressed down into the trough-like backing structure 3. By making the parts 3 and 5 a close and accurate fit, they may be united by slight frictional engagement which is enhanced on the side portions 6 of thebacking structure by the natural adhesiveness of the wax. To enable the assemblage to be quickly done and a positive connectionsecured without danger of distortion, I may employ inwardly extending lugs? to the sides 6 of the backing structure with which inwardprojections may be as points shown at 7? in F ig35, or as a slight rib shown at 7? in Fig. 6. 'By the employment of anyv of these means of attachment, it becomes lessimportant to make a veryclose fit between wax block 5 and sides 6.

The artificial teeth 8 and 9 are shown as pin teeth and the pins thereof are embedded in the wax block 6 to insure attachment, but it will be understood that where the molars are also to be placed on the wax block, the recesses in the said teeth will receive the wax when theteeth are pressed in position and this insures adequate union for display purposes.

The wax block 5 is printed with indicia such as letters and numbers to designate the mold or type of the teeth classification and also the shade or coloring qualities. The letter M stands for mold and P indicates the mold form for the upper teeth 8 and 13 the mold form for the lower teeth 9. 10 indicates these markings for the upper teeth 8 and 10 the corresponding marking for the lower teeth 9. These markings P and B will vary according to the character of teeth attached to the wax block. Similarly,

S stands for shade and 7 indicates a certaincoloring known as shade 7 Asshown, lldesignatesthe shade marking for the upper teeth'8 and 11 the shade marking for the lower teeth 9. As the wax or wax-like material of block 5 is ordinarily black or dark in appearance, I prefer to print the mold and shade designations in silvered or gold letters, whereby they may be more easily read. The printing of these letters and numbers uponthe wax may be done before or after it has been placed in the backing structure 3. If the printing is done after the assembling'of the parts 3 and 5, the pressure of the die may be exerted to make the wax block expand slightly 'to insure attachment to the metal backing plate structure,and in such case, the lugs 7 may be omitted. It will-also be understood that when doing the printing, the pressure of thedie may-causethe side flanges 6 to be bentslightly inward to more fully take hold of the wax block and this would be more positively assured by thepresenceof either of the parts 7, 7 or 7". I do not restrict myself as to the -manner of introducing the wax material, but it-is manifest that rough usage in assembling cannot be employed where the'backing'is of very thin and ductile metal, such as aluminum.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 4, it will be seen that the smaller width of the wax'block 5 is greater than the combined heights of the upper and lower teeth 8 and 9, so that it is readily possible to place'these-teeth in proper relative positions corresponding to natural teeth or properly made dentures; and it will be further seen that the teeth maybe't-ilted in the direction of'their length as well as laterally spaced so that the effect of the proper occlusal relationis also made apparent by the display.

I have shown by way of example the wax block 5 as wide enough to receive both up per and lower anterior teeth, but it is'to be understood that it may be made narrower where only the upper or the lower set is to be displayed; and likewise, where the molars are also to be displayed, the length of the block is to be somewhat increased. The teeth are preferably applied to the wax after the part 5 has been assembled on part 3 and as the wax surface is greater than the height of the teeth, there is no difficulty in insuring the pins being received in the wax, no matter how the teeth are positioned or applied.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of moditication in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A tooth display block for dental use, consisting of an elongated pre-molded block of pliable wax material having artificial teeth attached'thereon, combined with an integral elongated trough-like reinforcing backing structure of thin sheet metal of the same length as the wax block and havinga back plate upon which the wax block rests and having integral opposing side flanges extending upward at right angles to the back and embracing the respective sides of the wax block, said backing structure-open at-its two opposite endsand havingportions projecting into the body of the wax whereby the wax block is mechanically held to the backing structure-in closed relation.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further distinguished by having the metallic trough-like backing structure provided with inwardly projecting portion-s upon which the wax block is pressed to shape -itself for adherence to the projecting portions in a positive manner. 7

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the wax block has a width in its shortest surface dimension slightly greater than the height of the teeth thereon and in which its length or greatest surface dimension is greatly longer than thelength ofthe space occupied by the teeth whereby extended surfaces of the wax are'provided beyond the teeth ateachend of the block-upon which indicia may be imprinted descriptive of the teeth.

4c. -A tooth display block for dental use, consisting of a molded block of pliable wax material, combined with an elongated trough-like backing structure'ofthin sheet metal of the same length as the wax block, and upper and lower anterior teeth attached to the surface of the wax block in assembled relation whereby the'upper and lowerteeth are arranged in proper relative positions corresponding to the natural teeth or of properly made dentures, and in which the Wax block has a Width of surface in its shortest dimension approximately equal to the height of the teeth assembled thereon and a length gieat-ly in excess of the space 00- cupied by the teeth along the length of the structure whereby there is provided adjacent to each endof the block an extended Wax surface adapted to receive the designating indicia as to form and shade of the teeth attached thereto.

In testimony of Which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH A. SANDERS. 

